Saturday, March 28, 2009

Hiking with friends

This is beautiful Laurel Falls in the Laurel-Snow wilderness.




We all had to remove our boots and ford a small stream (the stream that feeds Laurel Falls). Looks nice, huh? It was shockingly cold and about 1/3 of the way across you could feel the pain.

This is Spence in a fat man's squeeze with Caroline on his back.
The view was worth freezing our toes off.




I know I still owe you the legendary Nana spanking story. Soon...




Friday, March 20, 2009

Our son

My husband walked in the door last night and asked, "When are we going to get an update on D?" Funny he should ask, I've been wondering this every hour of every day for a month.

While we commiserated over the lack of information coming out of Addis, I began flipping through our mail and found ... an envelope from Addis! It was not an update on our soon-to-be son, but a letter from our sponsored son in the Yezelalem Minch program. I just about wet my pants. Just kidding, but I did do a jig in the kitchen.

Mesaye is 15 years old and ranks #1 in his class in school. (I'm so proud.) Earlier this year we sent him a Tennessee Titans t-shirt, which he mentions in his letter. Then I saw the words, "I LOVE YOU Lori Inman." My heart melted.



Later that night I lay in bed thinking about Mesaye, his family, his circumstances, his spirit and his gumption to achieve despite extraordinary challenges. I wondered what he was doing (probably sleeping), where he lives, how much he must work to help support his family. I'm so thankful we can be part of the YM program and make a connection to such an amazing boy, our son. We love you too, Mesaye.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Haregewoin's children need your help!

Please read this post about about an extraordinary Ethiopian woman who has died suddenly and left many children twice orphaned. Please help me spread the word. They need our help!

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Home...almost

I just returned from a workplace wellness conference in Ann Arbor. The conference was great; the outlook on Americans' health is bleak; and Ann Arbor was just delightful. I wanted to quit my job and register for classes at U of M. But...

I was having some C withdrawal being away from her in essence two nights - as she was already in bed when I got back to Nashville. I got the full scoop on her activities with Nana while I was gone, including a much-deserved spanking, which I'll write about tomorrow. Let me just say, it's good it was under Nana's care and not mine -- I think I would have blown a gasket. Stay tuned...

Monday, March 16, 2009

A few pics

I have yet to take some good pics of C's new haircut. Here's one, along with a couple from our hike at Standing Stone State Park on Sunday. Like a good mom, I brought juice, diapers, wipes, extra socks (I'll never forget the wet sock fiasco), lots of layers and snacks...and managed to forget the insoles for my hiking boots. I ended up walking the 5 miles in my fleece-lined Crocs.





Friday, March 13, 2009

A bunch of nothing

Well, turns out March 12 wasn't as magical as in my dream. I even waited an extra day to account for any communication delays from Awassa, where our little boy is -- still nothing. That's okay. While we wait for an update we'll just keep praying he stays strong, healthy and growing. He turns 4 months old on Sunday.

In other news, there's no news on the referral or court date front. Our agency is due for a flurry of referrals, based on past trends, but nothing came today. Hang in there, gals, they're coming!

Stay tuned for some pictures of C's new haircut. It's a dandy!

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Revisiting a dream

In August of last year, I had a dream about our adoption that specifically mentioned March 12 -- today! It was weird and vague, but had a good vibe. I wrote about it here.

I'm a little ambivalent about this dream. Since we already have our referral, it would be amazing to get an update on our little one today -- a good one, with lots of pictures. But then it might be too amazing, as in spooky and otherworldly.

Before I go giving myself precognitive abilities and worrying myself sick about a possible bad news update, I'll get through today and see what happens.

Friday, March 6, 2009

Ask and ye shall receive!

Court date: April 24!

My SW asked if I had ESP. I had just written her an hour earlier mentioning it would be nice to have an update on D (or a court date, whichever was more convenient). Then she called with the great news.

This news signals that courts are moving a little faster than they were earlier this year. I honestly didn't expect a date before May.

Now we enter the next phase: the countdown to court and praying we pass the first time. And of course that D stays healthy!

Thursday, March 5, 2009

I need a date!

A court date. Or an update. Either would be just fine.

Truthfully, I'd prefer the update. I sure would like to know our little boy is doing okay. I know our in-country director is going to Awassa for other reasons, so hopefully he'll come back with an update for us.

On several other happy notes, my forum friend got her travel call and is on her way home with her daughter. Another friend got her referral for a 7-year-old boy and is enjoying the court date wait along with me. Another friend is about to embark on her 4th adoption, her second from Ethiopia. Another friend is awaiting the arrival of her child who is being escorted to the U.S. from Ethiopia. Three Bethany families passed court and await their travel call. Two families had court delays, but it looks like things may be resolved for them next week. And we're due for more referrals -- I think we'll get a handful next week.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

"Uh oh, Mommy, I had an accident."

"Hmmm. You sure did. Why is the trash can 15 feet from where we usually keep it?"


"Because I had an accident, Mommy."